[ARC5] US Army Signal Corps Museum

[MARK DORNEY]

Most major Army Posts do have museums, some better than others. But budgets are minuscule or non-existent as far as acquisition in concerned. Major end items of more modern equipment that is either deemed too badly or costly to fix to being newly surplused  don’t seem to be a problem, but anything from uniforms to personal equipment has to be donated.  But the military doesn’t keep obsolete equipment around very long, for the most part.  It’s generally surplused or destroyed. Just take a look at even Vietnam vintage gear - it’s availability is getting scarce. And if the post doesn’t really host a major combat unit or isn’t a Military Academy, donations can be scarce.  For instance, before 10th Mountain was re-activated at Fort Drum, the post did have a museum ( Fort Drum was a major training post for the National Guard and Army Reserve ), but it was small and rarely open. It has expanded quite a bit since becoming a major active duty post. Fort Sill has quite a nice museum, but then again they have access to quite a bit of equipment that becomes obsolete, and can acquire it before it is surplused and destroyed. The military is getting better at preserving it’s history, but that costs money, especially to find , buy and restore equipment that has been long ago surplused from the DOD that our Government no longer owns, money that DOD would be better spending keeping our Fighting forces equipped and ready to fight.

That’s where people like us come into play. Let’s face it, we’re all going to go silent key some day, and for many of us, our families may not have the interest in the equipment that we have restored and worked on for so many years. They may even see our stuff as a burden - something they have to get rid of. Well, even estates have to pay taxes. Maybe talk to the directors of museums like Fort Gordon. If they are considered a Tax exempt organization, see if you can get a tax write off. Certainly better than it going to some landfill. And if you are are upgrading or simply getting better examples of the historic radios you have restored, provided you haven’t extensively modified them and changed their appearance, museums like Fort Gordon will be grateful for the donation. If you can afford it, you may even want to think about just going crazy and put together a cosmetically restored,  non-working radio and just donate it, no strings attached, to a worthy museum now while you’re around to see it in the museum ( I’m doing that right now with an ARB receiver with ZB adapter ).

Let’s face it, the people in this hobby are the experts that have the old communications gear.  We put them back together, we do the research to get it right and we hunt for the parts to make them right. Museums simply can’t afford to pay staff to do what we do. 

I’ll get off my soapbox now. 

Mark D. 
WW2RDO

“In matters of style, float with the current. In matters of Principle, stand like a rock. “.   -   Thomas Jefferson 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Feb 16, 2022, at 7:14 AM, releazer at earthlink.net wrote:
> 
> They have a Signal Corps Museum at Ft. Gordon.  I have been through it.  It is nicely done but it is quite limited in scope and has only a relatively few radios on display.  In fact I didn't see any WWII "old friends" at all.  They also have an extensive library there, but I have not gone through it. 
>  
> Wayne
> ______________________________________________________________
> ARC5 mailing list
> Home: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/arc5
> Help: http://mailman.qth.net/mmfaq.htm
> Post: mailto:ARC5 at mailman.qth.net
> 
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> Please help support this email list: https://www.qsl.net/donate.html